The world around me blurred as the weight of his words settled in my chest like a stone. A Pink Star diamond. A gem worth millions. And it had been mine.
How?
What if I wasn't just some innocent victim left for dead? What if I was something worse? I shook my head, trying to push the thought away, but it latched onto me, refusing to let go.
A memory flickered at the edges of my mind-too faint to grasp, too distant to make sense of. My own past felt like a locked door with no key. I pressed my fingers to my temples, inhaling shakily. Searching for answers meant digging into that diamond. But did I want to?
No.
No, I didn't.
Something inside me whispered that I wouldn't like what I found. That the truth lurking beneath the surface wasn't just painful-it was dangerous. I had been left for dead. That wasn't a coincidence. The more I thought about it, the clearer one thing became: whatever life I had before, it was filled with darkness. And if I kept pulling at this thread, I might unravel something I could never put back together.
Maybe it was better not to know. Maybe I was better off believing I had died that night.
Liam's question lingered in the air. What do you want to do? I took a slow breath, my fingers curling into fists at my sides.
"I want to go home," I said. "Let's go home, Liam."
Liam studied me, his gaze sharp, as if he was trying to read the thoughts I refused to say aloud. He didn't push, didn't argue. Instead, he stepped back from the man, who was still hunched over, clutching his stomach.
I turned to him. "What's your name?"
The man hesitated. "Henry. My name is Henry."
I stared him down, my voice turning cold. "Go home, Henry. And if I ever catch you stalking me again, I will kill you."
His eyes widened slightly, but I wasn't finished.
"I know you didn't just come to the market to see if I was a ghost," I continued. "You wanted to know if I'd come after you for what you did. You were scared." I took a step closer. "So get lost. And don't ever show your face again."
Henry swallowed hard, nodding. "Thank you," he muttered. Then he turned and bolted, disappearing into the daylight.
I exhaled sharply, the tension still coiled in my chest.
"Let's go," I said to Liam, turning on my heel.
The drive back was silent. But my mind wasn't.
A Pink Star. A diamond worth millions.
And it had been mine.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry.
Liam didn't speak, but I could feel his eyes flicking toward me, waiting. Waiting for me to react, to say something. But what was I supposed to say? That my stomach felt like ice? That something dark and heavy had settled inside me? That I was afraid—truly afraid—of what this meant?
I had told myself before that maybe I wasn't a good person. That maybe my past held things I didn't want to remember.
But this?
This wasn't just doubt anymore.
This was proof.
I clenched my jaw, my pulse hammering in my ears.
What if I wasn't some innocent victim? What if I was a con artist? A thief? A criminal?
What if everything that happened to me wasn't bad luck—but karma? A cold shiver crawled down my spine, and I wrapped my arms around myself, as if that could keep me together.
No. I couldn't think like that. But the thought was already there, buried deep in my mind like a splinter I couldn't pull out.
Liam's voice cut through my thoughts.
"You're quiet."
I blinked, realizing how tightly I had been gripping my arms. I forced myself to loosen my hold. "What am I supposed to say?" My voice was quieter than I intended.
Liam didn't answer right away. Then, after a long pause, he said, "Do you want to find out?"
My throat tightened.
Did I?
I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "I don't know," I admitted. And that was the worst part. Because deep down, I did know. I was terrified of the answer.
Liam didn't push, didn't press for more. He simply nodded, turning his attention back to the road. But I could feel his curiosity, his concern, lingering in the air between us.
I let my head rest against the cool glass of the window, my fingers twitching against my lap. The world outside passed in a blur—people walking, vendors calling out their wares, children laughing as they ran through the streets. Life carried on, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me.
The Pink Star.
The name alone made my chest tighten.
I didn't need to be a jeweler to know what it was—a diamond so rare, so valuable, that wars had been fought over less. And it had been mine.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
What kind of person had I been?
Everything inside me screamed that searching for the truth would only lead to more pain. That I should let it go, bury it, move on. But could I?
Could I really live knowing there was a past out there waiting to catch up to me?
Liam pulled the truck to a stop in front of the house. The engine cut off, and for a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Liam sighed. "We're here."
I nodded, reaching for the door handle, but Liam spoke again before I could leave.
"You looked different back there." His voice was careful, measured. "When you threatened Henry."
I froze.
Liam turned in his seat to face me fully. "You meant it."
I inhaled sharply, my pulse stuttering. Of course I had meant it. The words had come too easily, too naturally. Like slipping into a familiar rhythm.
Like something I'd done before.
"I just said what I had to," I muttered, shoving the door open.
I didn't wait for Liam to respond. I climbed out of the truck and made my way to the house, my heart pounding in my chest.
The older couple—my new family—would be inside. Waiting. Smiling. Warm. They saw me as someone good. Someone kind.
But what if I wasn't?
What if, deep down, I was still the person who had once owned a diamond worth millions? The kind of person who had made enemies—dangerous enemies.
A chill crept up my spine.
I needed to stop thinking about this.
I needed to be the person I was now, not whoever I used to be.
Even if the past refused to stay buried.
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